548- How to Heal from Trauma Using Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Apr 1, 2025
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Susan Bauerfeld, a licensed clinical psychologist and expert in Internal Family Systems therapy, sheds light on the relationship between ADHD and trauma. She highlights how children with ADHD face unique emotional challenges and introduces IFS as a powerful tool for healing. Topics include the importance of self-awareness in parenting, how trauma reshapes brain structures, and integrating IFS with cognitive behavioral therapy. Bauerfeld also advocates for a balanced educational approach to alleviate societal achievement pressures on students and teachers.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy helps individuals with ADHD understand and manage their emotional parts, promoting personal growth and resilience.
Trauma significantly exacerbates ADHD symptoms, illustrating the need for a nurturing environment to support emotional and cognitive development in affected children.
Deep dives
Understanding Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy presents a unique understanding of the mind, emphasizing that individuals are comprised of various sub-personalities or 'parts.' Each part serves a purpose, helping individuals navigate challenges and manage their emotions, particularly those with ADHD. This therapeutic approach posits that there are no inherently 'bad' parts; instead, every part has its rationale, often developed to cope with traumatic experiences or emotional distress. Self-energy plays a critical role in IFS, representing the qualities of calmness, compassion, and clarity that facilitate healing and personal growth.
The Relationship Between Trauma, ADHD, and Functioning
The podcast highlights the complex interplay between trauma and ADHD, noting that traumatic experiences can exacerbate ADHD symptoms, while ADHD can lead to traumatic experiences through societal misunderstandings. Individual functioning is affected by a combination of brain 'hardware,' emotional 'software' (the parts), and environmental factors. The brain's plasticity means that parts can influence brain structures and functioning over time, creating a multidirectional relationship between emotional experiences and cognitive abilities. Safety and access to self-energy are essential for learning and development, indicating that a nurturing environment can mitigate some of the risks associated with ADHD and trauma.
The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) significantly impact children with ADHD, often leading to long-term health risks and adverse outcomes. Experiences such as neglect or excessive pressure to achieve can create reactive parts that harm the child's ability to cope and develop. The prevalence of ACEs among children with ADHD is concerning, with evidence showing that higher ACEs correlate with more severe ADHD symptoms. Understanding that these experiences create trauma through negative self-perceptions is crucial in addressing the emotional burdens that children carry as a result.
Healing Through IFS Therapy
IFS therapy is particularly advantageous for individuals with ADHD, as it reframes challenges as constraints rather than deficits, thus fostering a more hopeful perspective on personal growth. By engaging with protective parts rather than dismissing them, IFS facilitates the development of trusting relationships between the individual and their parts, leading to healthier coping strategies. A crucial aspect of IFS is the focus on building self-energy, which allows for the regulation of emotional responses and promotes resilience. Ultimately, the therapeutic process enables individuals to experience lasting change, improving their executive functioning and emotional well-being.
Children with ADHD face more trauma and attacks on self-esteem than their neurotypical peers. Susan Bauerfeld, Ph.D., explains why, and introduces a type of therapy that's especially helpful to people who experience trauma: Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy.
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